Cattle-guard.



PATENTED DEG. 25, 1906.

D. A. PRENDBRGAST.

CATTLE GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED ooT.17, 190e.

W/TNESSES.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE..

CATTLE-GUARD.

Noc 839,420.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed October 17, 1906. Serial Nox 339,411.

To LIZ whom, zit may con/00771,:

Be it known that I, DAVID ALLAN PREN- DERGAST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blaine, in the county of Whatcom and State of /Vashington, have invented a new and useful Cattle-Guard, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cattle-guards.

The objects of the invention areto improve and simplify the construction of such devices; furthermore, to increase their efficiency in use and decrease the expense attending their manufacture and installment.

Tith the foregoing and other objects in view,which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the'precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacricing any of its advantages.

ln the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of cattleguard constructed in accordance with the invention. F ig. 2 is avertical section through one of the movable platforms. showing a modified counterbalance means 5 and F ig. 3 is a perspective view showing a slightly-modified form of crank-shaft.

Like reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The reference-numeral 1 is used to indicate the rails 2, the ties of the road-bed. For the purpose of the present invention a supplemental tie 3 is passed beneath the rails l etween two of the ordinary ties 2. The supplemental tie 3 is of greater length than the ordinary ties, so as to project at its opposite ends some distance beyond the ordinary ties, as shown. Mounted upon the ends of the supplemental tie 3 is a pair of uprights 4. Pivotally connected with each of the uprights 4, as indicated at 5, is a gate 6, which is adapted to swing in a horizontal direct-ion to obstruct the passage of cattle along the tracks. Any suitable yielding means may be employed for holding the gates 6 normally in open position.

In the embodiment of invention illustrated the yielding means for holding each of the gates open consists of a flexible element 7,

which is connected at one end with the adj acent gate 6 and is provided at its other end with a counterbalance or Weight 8. It will be obvious that a spring or other equivalent device may be employed for holding the gates normally in position, if desired, instead of the counterbalance.

Each of the gates 6 is provided with an angularly-extending rigid operating-arm 9, which preferably is connected, by means of a link 10, with one of the crank portions 11 of a shaft 12, which exten ds longitudinally of the road-bed and is journaled upon the ties by means of suitable bearing-blocks 13. Each of the crank-shafts 12, in addition to the crank portion 11, is provided near each end with a second crank ortion 14, which is engaged by a traveleroop or slotted plate 15 upon the adjacent end of a movable platform 16. The longitudinally extending crankshaft-s 12 extend along the track in opposite directions away from the gates 6, and one of the movable platforms 16 is provided on each side of the pair of gates, so thatan animal approaching the gates from either direction will step upon and depress one of the movable platforms 16, thereby causing the traveler-loops 15 at the ends thereof to rock the crank-shafts 12, and thus cause the crank portions 11 through their link connections 10 to act upon the operating-arms 9 of the gates 6, thus closing said gates against the action of the counterbalance means 8 and preventing the passage of cattle along the track. As soon as the animal which has depressed one of the platforms 16 moves away the counterbalance 8 will open the gates 6 and at the same 'time through the connections described raise the movable platform 16 into position to be depressed by the next approach of an animal.

The improved cattle-guard of this invention is strong, simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction, as well as thoroughly efficient in operation.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 2 the counterbalance means for holding the gates normally in open position consists of coil-springs 20, mounted beneath the platforms 16, so as to move said platforms upwardly, and thus by rocking the crank-shafts 12 hold the gates 6 yieldably in open position. struction the crank-shaft 12 consists of an integral bar of metal bent to form the necessary crank portions, as shown, instead of em- Furthermore, in this modified con- IOC IIO

Y opposite sides of the tracks 1 preferably are ploying the separate crank-arms shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1, the crank-shafts 12 on connected with each other by means of a link-rod 21, so that said shafts will move simultaneously.

The platforms 16 are preferably extended laterally on each side of the track a distance equal to the length of the supplemental tie 3, so that cattle walking on each side of said i track will depress the platform, and thus actuate the mechanism to close the gates.

What is claimed is- 1. A cattle-guard comprising a gate, anl operating-arm rigidly connected with said gate, a crank-shaft extending longitudinally of the road-bed, a connection between one of the crank portions of said shaft and said operating-arm, and means for rocking said crank-shaft to move said gate from one position to another.

2. A cattle-guard comprising a normally open gate, an operating-arm rigidly connected with said gate, a crank-shaft extending longitudinally of the road-bed, a link connection between one of the crank portions of said shaft and said operating-arm, and means consisting of a movable platform for rocking said crank-shaft to close said gate.

8. A cattle-guard comprising a pair of gates adapted to swing in a horizontal direction, means for holding said gates yieldingly in one position, an operating-arm rigidly connected with each of said gates and extending at an angle therefrom, a pair of crank-shafts extending longitudinally of the road-bed, a link connection between each of said crank-shafts and the adjacent operatingarm of one of said gates, and means for simultaneously rocking said crank-shafts for moving said gates from one position to another.

4. In a cattle-guard, the combination with a road-b ed comprising ordinary ties and rails, of a supplemental tie extending between two of the ordinary ties and being of greater length'so as to project at its opposite ends beyond said ordinary ties, uprights mounted upon the ends of said supplemental tie, a gate pivotally connected with each of said uprights and adapted to swing in a horizontal direction, means for holding each of said gates normally in open position, angularlyextending, rigid, operating-arms connected with each of said gates, a pair of crankshafts extending longitudinally of the roadbed and journaled upon said ordinary ties, each of said crank-shafts having a link connection with the rigid operating-arm of the adjacent gate, and means for rocking said crank-shafts to operate said gates, said means comprising a platform having travelerloops engaging the crank portions of said longitudinally-extending shafts.

5. A cattle-guard comprising a pair of gates adapted to swing in a horizontal direction, means for holding said gates yieldably in one position, an operating-arm rigidly connected with each of said gates and extending at an angle therefrom, depressible platforms extending transversely of the road- `red, a pair of crank-shafts, a pivotal. connection between the crank-shafts and the adj acent platforms, and a link connecting each crank-shaft and the adjacent operating-arm of the gate.

6. ln a cattle-guard, the combination with a road-bed comprising ordinary ties and rails,` of a supplemental tie extending between two of the ordinary ties and of greater length. than the ordinary ties, uprights mounted on the ends of the supplemental tie, a gate pivotaily connected with each of said uprights and adapted to swing in a horizontal direction, means for holding each of said gates normally in open position, angularly-extending arms operatively connected with each gate, a pair of crank-shafts extending longitudinally of the road-bed and journaled upon the ordinary ties, depressible platforms extending transversely of the roadbed, pivotal connectionsrbetween the crankshafts and the adjacent platforms, and a connection between the crank-shafts and the angular arms of the gates.

7. A cattle-guard comprising a normally open gate, depressible platforms, an arm rigidly connected with the gate, a crank-shaft extending longitudinally of the road-bed, slotted plates secured to the platform, crankarrrs carried by the crank-shaft and operating within the slots in the plates, and a link connection between the crank-shaft and said operating-arm.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID ALLAN PRENDERGA S'l.

l/Vitnesses JNO. J. PINoxNEY, L. D. VILMOT.

IOO 

